Matt Lucas: Creative discovery, grief, and tape recorders

You are the sum of everyone who’s come before you in your family, and it can be useful to learn about your ancestors in order to understand how much of their character is in you. Actress Miriam Margolyes has a passion for genealogy and family trees; in this chat with Fearne, she discusses her own identity, and the parts of it that have made her feel like an outsider at times.We’re often scared to challenge things we don’t agree with, perhaps for fear of being disliked or cancelled, but Miriam explains how and why she’s always spoken her truth, even if it might be controversial.Miriam’s book, This Much Is True, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20 Sep 202143min

Psychosis is very rarely talked about, even within spaces dedicated to mental health. Actor David Harewood had an episode that saw him sectioned at 23 years old, and wonders that psychosis is still seen as the ‘scary’ mental health issue, a perception he’s now working hard to change.We often hear about post-traumatic stress, but in this chat with Fearne, David discusses the concept of post traumatic growth, and what that’s looked like for him. Plus, he explores how this journey of discovery has changed his perception of his father, who also had psychosis. David’s book, Maybe I Don’t Belong Here, is out now.CONTENT WARNING: as David recalls racist abuse, this episode contains offensive and distressing language. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Sep 202157min

We often write ourselves a story about the type of person we are, and the things we can do with our lives, but YouTuber, actor, and singer Joe Sugg doesn’t like to put limits on what he can achieve. In this chat with Fearne, he explains why he’s given himself opportunities to change as a person and not be limited by what his fans might expect of him. Plus, having grown up online, Joe talks through what he feels needs to be done to make the Internet a kinder place.Joe’s new single, Wild Things, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Sep 202156min

The concept of a mid-life crisis has become a funny cliché, and that’s what Christian O’Connell jokingly told people he was having when he left his successful radio career in the UK to start a new life in Australia in 2018. The truth was that he had had what he now recognises as a break down, and needed to find adventure and joy as an adult to reignite the fire in his belly.In this chat, Fearne and Christian share their experiences of having panic attacks, and compare notes on how they both use distraction techniques to avoid confronting difficult realities.Christian’s book, No One Listens To Your Dad’s Show, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Aug 202155min

In April 2021, Ashley Cain’s eight month old daughter Azaylia Diamond Cain passed away. At eight weeks old she had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia; Ashley and his partner Safiyya captured the nation’s hearts as they used social media to document their journey, raise awareness for childhood cancer and encourage people to become bone marrow donors both for their daughter and thousands of other children.In this chat with Fearne, Ashley talks for the first time since Azaylia’s death about losing his child, about helping others grieve, and about why he feels he now has a real purpose for the first time in his life.To find out more about the Azaylia Foundation, and to donate, visit www.theazayliafoundation.com IG: @theazayliafoundationTwitter: @azayliafdnFacebook: @theazayliafoundationCONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about the grief of losing a child throughout, so do take care while listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

27 Aug 20211h 2min

Becoming a parent will have its highs and lows for everyone, but Frankie Bridge became a mum knowing she already had existing mental health issues to contend with too. In this chat with Fearne, Frankie discusses how she talks to her children about their own emotions as well as hers. Publicly we’re having more frank conversations about post-natal depression, but antenatal depression still isn’t discussed as widely, so Frankie also opens up about her mental health while she was pregnant. Frankie’s book, Grow: Motherhood, Mental Health, and Me, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 Aug 202156min

Confidence fluctuates and has to be practiced daily. Natalie Imbruglia feels writing her new album has allowed her to regain confidence after finding herself on shaky ground. In this chat with Fearne, she explains why she now chooses to live in the moment and not make plans, and why she thinks there’s strength in allowing yourself to fall apart, because there’s often a breakthrough on the other side. Natalie’s new album, Firebird, is out on September 24th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Aug 202147min

Many of us are guilty of refusing to stop, of continuing to distract ourselves while anxieties build beneath the surface. This is something BAFTA-winning actress Suranne Jones tackles in her new TV show I Am Victoria. In this chat with Fearne, Suranne talks about the grief of losing her mum shortly after having a baby, and why she wanted to draw on her own experience of managing her mental health to create character Victoria.I Am Victoria is available to watch now on All4. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Aug 202159min